Executob of the estate



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VILLIAM SMITH, OF WINDHAM, CONNECTICUT, EXECUTOR OF THE ESTATE OF ENOSP. BECKWITH, DECEASED.

PAPER-CUTTING MACHINE.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 51,669, dated December19, 1865.

To all lwhom it may concern:

Be it known that ENos P. BEcKwrrH, of South Windham, in the county ofWindham and State of Connecticut, (since deceased,) did invent certainnew and useful Improvements in Machines for Cutting Paper; and it ishereby declared that the following is a full and ex- A act descriptionthereof.

The accompanying drawings form a part of this specification.

Figure 1 is a side view, and Fig. 2 is a front View, representing theprincipal portions of the machine. Fig. 3 represents some of the detailswhich are nearly concealed in Figs. 1 and 2; and Figs/.1c and 5 aresections through some of the parts, FigA being a view, partially insection, of a small portion .in Fig. 2, and Fig. 5 being a section onthe line T T in the same ligure.

Similarletters of reference indicatelike parts in all the iigures.

This machine is adapted to receive the paper in a continuous sheet,either directly from the Fourdrinier or from a large roll, in which formit has been previously taken from the Fourdrinier and mounted on asuitable stand. (Not represented.) It cuts the paper into sheets of thedesired size and deposits it in apile. Any of the ordinary means may beemployed for aiding in the delivery of the paper from the roll, and inthe accurate piling', counting, Src., of the sheets.

To enable others skilled in the art to make and use this invention, thefollowing detailed description is presented.

The letters of reference refer to thecorresponding letters ou thedrawings.

Ais aframing of wood. Bis adrum mounted on a stout shaft supported onthe framing A, and carrying a knife, b.

a is a fixed knife, supported 011 the framing A in the positionrepresented, so that at each revolution of the drum B the knife b cutsthe paper by acting thereon between itself and the fixed knife a. Thisshaft B is rotated with a continuous and uniform movement by means of astout belt acting on the pulley B as represented in Fig. 1.

The paper is fed down to the point where it is acted on by the knives band a with an intermittent motion, its motion being entirely suspendedduring the period while the knives are acting. The knives b and a may beset with any amount of shear which is necessary to perform the worksmoothly and without strain. If the shear is great, a considerableperiod must elapse while the cutting is being performed. The mechanismis so arranged that the paper is detained and held entirely stationary'for a longer period than is ever required to com plete the division ofthe paper.

When the sheetof paperhas been completely divided the part below falls,or is removed by mechanism not represented, to be folded in quires orotherwise disposed of.

It is important to prevent the front edge of the paper which remainsabove the knife a from catching or lodging on the knife a, and thusinterfering with the proper motion of the paper when it is again fedforward. This is effected by the pendulous piece C, which is hung on theslight shaft c, and inclines forward by its gravity.

When the rotation ofthe shaft B brings the knife b into contact with thesheet of paper, it easily presses back the pendulous piece C into theposition shown in strong lines in'Fig. 5; but the moment the paper iscompletely divided and the knife b has passed entirely below the loweredge of the piece C the latter springs forward by gravity into theposition indicated in dotted lines. This movement throws the edge of thepaper forward, entirely clear of the knife a.

The mechanism by which the proper intermittentmotion of the paper isobtained Will now be described.

l2 is a slotted arm or crank on the overhangiug end of the shaft of B. Acrank-pin, B3, is rmly fixed thereon. A connection, D, leads from thiscrank-pin to a pin, E, which is fixed on the segment E, adapted tovibrate on the center e. The revolution of the shaft B communicates aregular reciprocating motion to the segment E, which gears into a Wheel,F, which is tted loosely on an overhanging end of a shaft, g. This shaftg carries a drum, G, between which and the drum H the paper is received,and is held fast or fed forward according as the drums G and H areoperated. The large hollow wheel G is, like the drum G, securely fixedon the shaft g. The

gear-wheel F carries a short sleeve, F', which projects into theinterior of the hollow wheel G', as indicated. Friction-pawls G3,mounted on centers G4, are pressed by the springs, G5 into contact withthe exterior of the sleeve F at such an angle that the friction betweenthe ends of the pawls G3 and the sleeve F will turn the wheel G with itsconnected parts when the wheel F rotates in one direction, but willproduce no effect when the said wheel rotates in the opposite direction.

The action of this portion of the mechanism will now be readilyunderstood. The drum H being pressed down upon the drum G by its gravityor other suiiicient force to properly hold the paper, the rotation ofthe crank B2 gives a reciprocating motion to the segment E, and thusrotates the wheel F and the drum G in the proper direction to feedforward the paper to a proper extent while the knife d is traveling idlyaround with the rotation of the drum B. Before the knife d strikes thepaper the segment E commences to move in the opposite direction, andconsequently to rotate the wheel F and sleeve F in the oppositedirection. This movement produces no effect on the drum G, because thesleeve F is allowed to revolve idly in this backward direction withoutcommunicating any force to the friction-pawls G3. The wheel G and theconnected parts therefore are allowed to remain at rest during theentire backward motion of the wheel F, or during one semi-revolution ofthe drum B.

In order to insure that the drums G and H, and consequentlythe paperheld between them, shall remain entirely motionless during this period,I provide a strong brake, M, adapted to turn on the bearing m and toapply tightly against the under surface of the wheel G. It is pressed upto its work by a strong spring, J, which is cased within a suitablehousing on the framing A, as indicated. This brake is allowed to rise bythe force of this spring, and to hold the wheel G very firmly so soon asthe segment E, and consequently the wheel'F, commence their backwardmovement, or the move- `ment which tends to carry the paper backwardbetween the drums G and H. A little before the segment E and theconnected parts commence the motion in the opposite direction, so

as to feed forward the paper, a projection, M',

on the eXtreme end of the brake M is struck by a short arm, B4, which iscarried on the shaft of B, and is pressed downward aconsiderabledistance, so that the brake M is entirely clear of the wheelG. The brake M is held in this position by the spring catch N, which ismounted on the side of the framing A, and is adapted to hook or catchover the projection M when the latter is in its lowest position. Theupper end of the spring-catch N is marked n, and is bent considerablyinward toward the drum B, as indicated in Figs. 2 and 4. The shaft Bturns freely around af ter shearing off the paper, and depressing thelever M without resistance from friction on the brake M, the latterbeing held down by the .spring-catch N, entirely independent of any ofthe moving parts. This condition continues until the period arrives whenthe crank B2 is again on its dead point and the forward motion of thedrums G and H has consequently ceased. At this juncture the bent end nof the spring-catch N is touched by a spur or side cam, B5, which iscarried on the back side of the crank B3, and the catch N is thusdetached from its hold on the brake M, when the latter is immediatelydriven upward by the tension of the spring J, and firmly holds the wheelG and the connected mechanism until it is again pressed downward andagain confined, as before described.

K is a coiled spring of considerable length, connected to any convenientportion of the stand from which the paper is delivered. It tends to pullthe segment E continually to the left, as seen in Fig. l, and thus tendsto balance the gravity of the segment E, and also to aid the mechanismin its slight labor of pulling the paper forward.

This machine possesses very marked advantages ver those before used forthis purpose. Some of these may be specifically enumerated as follows:

First, the fact that the cutting is effected by a revolving knife, inlieu of a reciprocating one, brings the cutting-edges in contact butonce instead of twice for each cut, and allows the machinery to operateniore rapidly and with less vibration and strain 5 and the fact that thepaper is stopped and held motionless dnring the period while the knivesare acting on it allows the cutting to be effected with knives of apracticable and convenient' form with any amount of shear which isdesired; and the further fact that the stopping and starting are notdone with a positive and reliable motion, but by gradual increments or agradual stopping and gradual starting, in lieu of the sudden and violentchanges incident to the use of former machines having intermittentmotion, avoids the noise and the strain on the parts due to a violentstarting and stopping, and avoids the risk, hitherto serious, ofa'slipping of the paper, and inducing irregularities in the size of thesheets by the feed-rolls commencing to move beforethe sheet starts andstopping their motion before the sheet stops.

Second, the fact that the continuous rotation of the cutter-shaft Bcommunicates motion through the crank B2, pin B3, and connection D tothe segment E gives a reciprocating rotary motion to the feeding-drum Gand its connections with very simple mechanism, and with a facility foradjustment by moving the pins B3 and E', which'allows the length of thesheets of paper to be varied at will within wide limits.

Third, the friction-pawls G3 and their coni nections, arranged asspecified, transmit the forward motion from the wheel F and sleeve Ftothe feeding-drums G and H with sufficient power and with greatcertainty, and

very quietly. They also allow the length of the paper cut off at eachrotation of the knife b to be varied by as small amounts as may berequired, which could not be done with pawls operating on teeth, or byany other ordinary device.

Fourth, the gravity knock-oft' or peudulous piece C yields very readilyto a gentle force impressed by the knife b, yet throws the paper forwardwith great certainty so soon as the knife has passed.

Fifth, the spring K aids the forward motion of the reciprocating feed GH, using for the purpose the power which it has accumulated during theperiod while the paper is stationary.

Sixth, the friction-brake M destroys the rotation of the feeding parts Gwith great geutleness and irmness, and holds the parts in any positionin which they may be stopped, the paper to form sheets of variouslengths.

Seventh, the spring J urges the brake M to its work with greatpromptness, and holds it with sufficient firmness, even though the wearof the rubbing parts may induce a considerable variation in thepositions in which it comes to rest at different periods.

Eighth, the catch N holds the brake M open without entailing anyfriction or wear on the machine, and by the tiling or otherwiseadjusting of the edge by which it holds on M may allow the liberation ofthe brake M with great promptness at any desired point.

Ninth, the detaching-cam B5 and bent top or inclined surface n, operatiu g together, as specified, detach the dog N with certainty at theproper period without complex mechanism.

Having now fully'described this invention, what I claim as new, and asthe invention of the said BEGKWITH, is as follows:

l. The combination, in a paper-cutting machine, of a gradually-startingand graduallystopping intermittent feed mechanism with a revolvingknife, substantially in the manner and for the purposes specified.

2. The within-described arrangement of the revolving knife b, crank B2,connection D, segment E, and intermittent feeding-drum G, substantiallyas and for the purpose specified.

3. The friction-pawls G3, arranged, substantially as specified, totransmit mot-ion from the sleeve F', revolved alternately in oppositedirections, to the feeding-drum G of a papercutting machine.

4. The pendulous piece C, arranged relatively to the knives a and b andto the intermittent feeding mechanism G H, or its equivalent, in apaper-cutting machine, substantially as and for the purpose hereinspecified.

5. The spring K, arranged as specified relatively to the intermittentfeeding mechanism E F G and their connections in a paper-cuttingmachine.

6. The friction-brake M and spring J, or its equivalent, in combinationwith thedepressingarm B4, with a rotating cutter, b, and with the wheelG and drums G H of an intermittent feed in a paper-cutting machine,substantially as specified.

7. The within-described arrangement of the spring J, brake M, wheel G',and the connected parts of an intermittent feed in a paper-cuttingmachine, substantially as specified.

8. The catch or dog N, with a releasing device therefor, in combinationwith the brake M, spring J, and suitable means for depressing the same,and the intermittent feeding-drums G H, or their equivalents, in apaper-cutting machine, as specified.

9. The detaching-cam B5 and surface n, arranged relatively to thecutting-shaft B, catch N, brake M, and wheel G of an intermittent feedin a papercuttng machine, substantially as specified.

WVM. SMITH, Exeeutor of the estate of Enos l. Beckwith, under his lastwill amt testament.

Vitnesses:

GEO. M. CLARK, SAM. BINGHAM.

